Metal working



June 29, 1955 C, SPORCK 3,191,415

METAL WORKING Filed May 2 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

@Mm/M' Y C. L. SPORCK METAL WORKING .Y June 29, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- Fil'ed may 2., 1963 Arraxwsls United States Patent O 3,191,415 METAL IWORKING Claus L. Sporck, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The Lodge & Shipley Company, Cincirmati,` Ohio, a corporation of yh10 Filed May 2, 1963, Ser. No. 277,623 4 Claims. (Cl. 72-78) This invention relates to improvements in tube forming machines of the type wherein` the forming tool` or roller means is of ringlike shape and surrounds the blank so that the working section of the roller engages the blank in a line of contact concave with respect to the blank axis.

One object of the invention is to provide a machine of `the kind described having improved roller means Ycomprising a pair of concave annular working sections which surround the blank and simultaneously engage the outside of the blank respectively on opposite sides of the blank ax1s.

One particularly important advantage ofthe invention is thatY the roller means is arranged to work the` blank with out imposing unbalanced radial loads. For this purpose, the invention contemplates roller means comprising a pair of rings surrounding the blank with the working sections of the rings operatingon diametrically opposed areas of the blank. In this way the working forces of the roller rings counterbalance one another. i

Another important and desirable advantage of the invention is that a single ring roller can perform a dual working operation, for example, a double reduction ofthe blank wall in a single pass. In this regard theinvention contemplates the roller means to be comprised of a single ring having a pair of annular working sections which simulta neously engage the blank on opposite sides ofthe blank axis with the Working sections being spaced from the axis so that each will perform a working operation at a differerent radial position.

The single ring, double working arrangement has another highly desirable advantage in that it lends itself for the Working of tubes of a wide variety of diameters.V The ring can be pivoted so `that working sections move equal distances closer to the `blank axis and thereby accommodate a small diameter blank, or move away from the axis vto accommodate a large diameter blank.

Typical equipment of the invention will be described below in connection with the following drawings, wherein:

FIGURE l is an elevational view of a tube forming machine embodying the invention; t

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view showing one form of the roller means;

FIGURE 3 is a cross section taken on the lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal, sectional view of another y FIGURE 7 is a cross section on the line 7-7 of FIG- i URE 5;

FIGURE 8 is an elevational, sectional view of tube indicated by 5. The blank B is pushed into the roller means 5 and the rotating roller means works the blank B 3,191,415 Patented June 29, 1965 ICC into the tubular form T. The head stock 2 is the open center type so as to accommodate the tube T. The working may comprise a reducing operation where the wall of the blank is reduced in thickness or the working may be a squeezing operation where the diameter of the blank is changed so as to form a tapered blank or tube. In the present instance, the machine is set up for a wall reducing operation.

Toward the middle of the bed is a carriage 6 which mounts a blank B to be worked. The carriage is movable along the bed so as to move the blank B into the roller head 4. The carriage 6 supports the blank so that it is nonrotatable. On the left-hand end a tail stock 7 mounts a mandrel support rod 10 which extends through the blank B and carries a mandrel 11 at its outer end (FIGURE 2). As will be noted, the roller head 4 is of open-center construction so as to accommodate the blank B, the mandrel 11 and the tube T. The chuck 3 is rotated and the carriagel 6 moved along the bed by conventional drive means.

In a machine of the kind described, the bed, head stock, chuck, carriage and tail stock are of conventional machine construction and the structural details of the same will be Well-understood by those skilled in the art.

Referring to FIGURES 2 and 3, it will be noted that the roller means 5 `includes a ring 12 which surrounds the blank and has a pair of annular working sections 13 and 14. The sections 13 and 14 make a line contact with the blank, which is concave with respect to the blank axis A-1, and engage the blank on opposite sides of the axis. The working sections 13 and 14 occupy dilerent radial positions with respect to the blank axis A-1. In the instance shown, the working section 14 is at a greater radial distance than the section 13. In this way the section 14 works the blank to reduce its wall .thickness as indicated at 15, and the section 13 works on the wall 15 to reduce the same in thickness or as indicated at 16. Also, the sections 13 and 14 are spaced from one another in a direction along the blank axis. The ring 12 is connected with the head by mounting mechanism 19 which includes the bearing structure 20 connected with the shoes 21 and 22 respectively supported in the circular tracks 23 and 24 in the head 4.

As will be apparent, the 4ring 12 is oriented so that its rotation (provided by bearing structure 20) relative to the head is about an axis A-2 which makes an acute angle with the blank axis and lies -in a plane containing the blank axis. Y

For a Working operation, the carriage 6 pushes the `blank to the right into engagement with the working sections 13 :and 114 and the rotation of the head 4 and ring 12causes each working section -to progressively engage vthe blank along ya helical path around lthe blank axis. The reductionin wall thickness caused by the roller causes the blank to extrude away t-o the right into the form of the finished -tube T.

The embodiment described not only has .the advantage of a single ring `performing a dual Working operati-on, but, in addition, the ring can beoriented in the head so as to move the working sections toward or .away from the blank axis and thereby accommodate tubes of different sizes. This is done'by pivoting ther-ing about the taxis A-3 (see FIGURE 3) which is normal to and intersects axis A-'1.

The pivoting motion of the ring is provided by the travel of the shoes `21 andV 221m the tracks 23 and 24.

The means for moving the shoes .along the tracks com- The-embodiment shown in lFIGURE 5 -is essentially the same as that described in connection with `FIGURE 2,

3 except that the roller means and head are-set up so that the roller means can be quickly replaced.

In FIGURE 5, .the roller means includes the ring 31 having working sections -32 and 33. The mounting mechanism 34, which includes :the bearing structure 35, rotatably mounts the ring on the head 36. The head 36 has a flat surface 4@ and a keyway 4I is `formed in the surface. The mounting mechanism has a iiat surface 42 and a keyway 43. The keys 44 and 45 are mounted in the Ways. The. screws 46 hold the surfaces 40 and 42 in tight engagement. i

The invention contemplates that the roller means comprise a pair of rings arranged so that the working forces balance oneYanOther. A typical form for accomplish- .ing the foregoing is `shown in FIGURE 4 Where it will be seen that the rings 50 and 51 are supported by the mounting mechanism which includes an annular frame 52 and bearing structure 53. The frame 52 is adapted to be mounted in tracks, such as the tracks Z3 and 24 in the roller head 4. The ring 50 has a Work-ing surface S4 and the ring 51 has a Working surface 55. The Working surfaces 54 and 55 each occupy the same radial distance from .the blank axis A-4 and lie in the same radial plane. Thus, the working force lof one section radially balances the Working force of the other section. The ring t) is supported for rotation relative to the head about an axis A-S and the ring l51 is supported for rotation about axis A-6. The axes A-S and A-6 lie in a pl-ane containing axis A-4 and are spaced from one another in said plane. For purposes of clarity the mandrel 111 has not been shown in FIGURE 4.

In FIGURE 8, I have Ashown another arrangement for using dual rings set up to impose radially balanced workingV loads. In FIGURE 8 the -open-center roller head 59 mounts rings 66 and 611 having Working surfaces 62 and 63 which are at the same radial distance fromthe blank axis A-i and lie in the same radial plane. The rings are supported in the head by .the mounting mechanism which lincludes the annular frames 64 and 65, together with the bearing structures 66 and 67. The rings rotate relative to 4the head about axes A-S and A9 which lie in a plane containing the blank axis A-7.

The embodiment in FIGURE 8 provides for adjusting the rings 6th and 61 in a radial direction so as to accommodate .tubes of differing diameters. For this purpose, the mounting mechanism includes the shoes 70 and 71 which -iit int-o the dovetails 72 and '73 on the roller head 59. The ring 65 has shoes 75 and 76 which tit into the dovetails S0 and 81 on the roller head. The

shoe '72 carries a rack 82 and .the shoe 75 ca-rries a rack 83. The rack isengaged by a pinion 84. By rotating the pinion, for example, by .the'worm Wheel arrangement 85. (FIGURE the rings can be moved toward and .away from the blank axis.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 4 and 8, the rotation of .the head and rings causes each Working section to progressively engage the blank along a helical path around kthe blank axis.

posed on said head, lthe roller means having a pair `of annular Working sections surrounding saidl blank and mak-ing simultaneous engagement With'the outside of the blank respectively on opposite sides of the. blank'axis, the engagement areas of the working Vsections being the same radial distance `from the blank axis and lying in the same radial plane so that the Working force of one section radially balances the Working force of the other sect-ion; and

mounting mechanism including means rotatably connecting said annular Working sections With the head for rotation relative to the head about axes respecrtively making an acute angle with said blank axis and lying in a plane containing the blank axis, the axes being spaced from one another in said axial plane, said blank axial motion,said head rotation and said working section rotation causing ea-ch said working section to progressively engage lthe blank along a helical path Varound the blank axis.

2. In a tube forming machine:

means for supporting an elongated blank including a vmandrel inside of the blank;

a roller head having an open-center configuration to accommodate the mandrel, the blank and a tube made therefrom; t

means mounting said roller head for rotation about an axis co-axial with the axis of the blank;

means connected with the blank for moving the blank relative to the head in a direction along the blank axis;

roller means formed in the shape of an annulus disposed on said head, the roller means having a pair of annular working sections surrounding said blank and making simultaneous engagement with the outside of the blank respectively on opposite sides of the blank axis and radially outwardly of the mandrel, the engagement areas of the Working sections being the same radial distance from the blank axis and lying in the same radial plane so that the Working force of one section radially balances the Working force of the other section; and

mounting mechanism including means rotatably connecting said annular working sections with the head for rotation relative to the head about axes respectively making an acute angle with said blank axis and lying in a plane containing the blank axis, the axes being spaced from one another in said axial plane, said blank axial motion, said head rotation and said working section rotation causing each said working section to progressively engage the blank along a helical path around the blank axis.

3. In a tube forming machine:

means for supporting an elongated blank;

a roller head having an open-center conguration to accommodate the blank and a tube made therefrom; means mounting said roller head for rotation about an axis co-axial with the axis of the blank;

means connected with the blank for moving the blank mounting mechanism including an annular frame rotatably supporting each said ring and its annular VWorking section Vand connecting the same with the head for rotation relative to the head about axes respectively making an acute angle With said blank axis and lying in a plane containing the blank axis, the axes being spaced from one .another in said axial plane, said blank axial motion, said head rotation and said Workingsection rotation causing each said Workt ing section to progressively engage the blank along a helical path around the blank axis. i

5 4. In a tube forming machine: means for supporting an elongated blank including a mandrel inside of the blank;

a roller head having an open-center conguration to accommodate the mandrel, the blank and a tube made therefrom;

means mounting said roller head for rotation about an axis co-axial with the axis of the blank;

means connected with the blank for moving the blank relative to the head in a direction along the blank axIs;

roller means disposed on said head,`the roller means comprising a pair of rings each having an annular working section surrounding said blank, the working section making simultaneous engagement `with the outside of the blank respectively on opposite sides of the blank axis and radially outwardly of the mandrel, the engagement areas of the working sections being the same radial distance from the blank axis and lying in the same radial plane so that the workrespectively making an acute angle with said blank axis and lying in a plane containing the blank axis, the axes being spaced from one another in said axial plane, said blank axial motion, said head rotation and said Working section rotation causing each said Working section to progressively engage the blank along a helical path around the blank axis.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,098,461 7/63 Kinney 113-52 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

20 MICHAEL v. BRINDISI, Examiner. 

1. IN A TUBE FORMING MACHINE: MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AN ELONGATED BLANK; A ROLLER HEAD HAVING AN OPEN-CENTER CONFIGURATION TO ACCOMMODATE THE BLANK AND A TUBE MADE THEREFROM; MEANS MOUNTING SAID ROLLER HEAD FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS CO-AXIAL WITH THE AXIS OF THE BLANK; MEANS CONNECTED WITH THE BLANK FOR MOVING THE BLANK RELATIVE TO THE HEAD IN A DIRECTION ALONG THE BLANK AXIS; ROLLER MEANS FORMED IN THE SHAPE OF AN ANNULUS DISPOSED ON SAID HEAD, THE ROLLER MEANS HAVING A PAIR OF ANNULAR WORKING SECTIONS SURROUNDING SAID BLANK AND MAKING SIMULTANEOUS ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OUTSIDE OF THE BLANK RESPECTIVELY ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE BLANK AXIS, THE ENGAGEMENT AREAS OF THE WORKING SECTIONS BEING THE SAME RADIAL DISTANCE FROM THE BLANK AXIS AND LYING IN THE SAME RADIAL PLANE SO THAT THE WORKING FORCE ON ONE SECTION RADIALLY BALANCES THE WORKING FORCE OF THE OTHER SECTION; AND MOUNTING MECHANISM INCLUDING MEANS ROTATABLY CONNECTING SAID ANNULAR WORKING SECTIONS WITH THE HEAD FOR ROTATION RELATIVE TO THE HEAD ABOUT AXES RESPECTIVELY MAKING AN ACUTE ANGLE WITH SAID BLANK AXIS AND LYING IN A PLANE CONTAINING THE BLANK AXIS, THE AXES BEING SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER IN SAID AXIAL PLANE, SAID BLANK AXIAL MOTION, SAIS HEAD ROTATION AND SAID WORKING SECTION ROTATION CAUSING EACH SAID WORKING SECTION TO PROGRESSIVELY ENGAGE THE BLANK ALONG A HELICAL PATH AROUND THE BLANK AXIS. 